As the Pebble Starts the Avalanche
by Jason Thompson
Summary: A pebble was all it took to change everything between Lee and Kara.


**As the Pebble Starts the Avalanche**

_A Battlestar Galactica (2005) Fan-fiction Story_

_Author: Jason Thompson_

_Friday, December 22, 2006_

Category: AU; L. Adama/Kara Thrace, Kara/Sam, W. Adama/Laura

Spoilers: Through Unfinished Business.

Dedication: Dedicated to the usual suspects; Genova aka Schweet, Bri, Mary, Duchess, Dale, Blaire, Red, Stone Cold, Ice Wing, Arashi, Aslan, Vega, Tony D, Jen Zimmer, Louise, Sairs, and Queen Angel who have allowed me to bounce my ideas off them, and Krac, cause she has the evil bunny slippers.

**As the Pebble Starts the Avalanche**

When you sleep on the ground you have to expect certain things. Wind whipping past you and striking you with grit, the strange tickling sensation of insects crawling over you, the chill of the ground beneath making you uncomfortable and of course, rocks. Rocks finding resting places in very uncomfortable places.

Kara Thrace was being reminded of this, she was half awake and aware of a rock jabbing into her left hip. She rolled away from the rock and back onto Lee's very warm chest… then proceeded to panic.

She couldn't be here. Not with Lee, she promised Sam. She promised him just a few days earlier that there was nothing between her and Lee and now here she was, proving herself a liar.

It was worse than that; she'd cheated on Sam and brought Lee down with her. He may have initiated it, hell he did a pretty damned fine job of seducing her because neither of them was that drunk. Neither of them could blame drink on what had happened.

No, nothing was to blame. It was the nothing that she claimed that she felt for Lee when she felt her breath catch at the sight of him. It was the nothing that caused her thoughts to drift to him when her mind wandered. That very same nothing she claimed that was between them in the pilots' bunk months ago.

She couldn't do this; not to Sam and not to Lee.

She sat up and scrambled for her clothes pull them on as quickly and as quietly as possible. Her BDUs were followed by her sock and lastly her boots. She stood over Lee, twisting Zak's ring on her thumb. What Lee had offered the night before was too much. It was always too much…

Too much heat in his touch.

Too much passion in his words.

Too much joy in his smile.

Too much righteousness in his anger.

Too much love in his heart.

He loved her enough to shout it to the heavens.

Didn't he know that love was supposed to be quiet and sure? You weren't supposed to shout it into the night, that was for the movies. Were you?

With a final twist, the silver band came free of her thumb. She looked at it long and hard and came to a decision, one that would burn her out of the heart of Lee and no doubt his father as well. She was going to break Lee's heart. Zak's ring was more than just a reminder of the first man to truly love her and what she'd done to him; it was her link to the Adamas. It was like proclaiming she was Bill Adama's daughter in spirit if not in law.

It represented to her a link that defined her relationship with Lee; Kara and Lee, Thrace and Adama, Starbuck and Apollo. In her mind, whatever they were to each other was in that ring.

She very carefully descended upon Lee and very delicately unclasped the chain on his tags and ran the chain through the ring before clasping it again. She feared any lingering or hesitation would erode her will too far, so she ran.

She didn't realize that she disturbed Lee's sleep just enough for him to roll over.

&&&&&&&&&

Sharp pain in his thigh brought Lee immediately to alertness. His eyes snapped opened to see dirt and he rolled away onto his back. He looked at the sky for a few moments before he spoke, "G'morning." When he doesn't receive an answer he sat up and looked around, "Kara?"

In the glare of the sunrise, he saw a figure retreating over the horizon. "KARA!"

She was running. She was running from him and how much he loved her. The thought should have infuriated him, it should have him filled with the need to pummel her, and for a moment, it did. He shot his feet and was distracted by the odd feeling of his tags. He grabbed them and looked down to find a silver band dangling in contrast to the bronze tags. She'd left Zak's ring behind.

The realization that she left his ring behind knowing all it meant to her helped Lee surge into action.

He pulled on his uniform like the Pegasus was under attack and he was still yanking his tunic on when he took off after Kara. She was going to do something reckless and stupid and if he let her do it, it would hurt him brutally.

He'd gained a lot of ground by the time they reached the tents of New Caprica City and he yelled out again, "WAIT!"

He could see the flinch of her shoulders so he knew she had heard him. He was only a few yards away when she stopped in front of a tent. He knew without a doubt it was Sam's tent, this was his last chance and a thought suddenly came to mind. A memory of a long conversation with his brother while Lee was visiting him on leave, a memory eternally linked in his mind to the silver band now colliding with his dog tags.

He skidded to a halt and with certainty and courage surging through his veins, he called out, "KARA THRACE!"

Everyone around them stopped and watched in silence. He caught sight of his father and Laura standing in the square, he smirked as it was appropriate they were here. He reached up and grasped the ring and yanked hard, he barely noticed the momentary pain of the chain biting into his neck before it snapped. The chain and tags clattered in the dirt, already forgotten.

&&&&&&&&&

Sam heard his tent flap rustling and he'd hoped it was Kara coming back after disappearing all night. He got out of his cot and started towards the entrance when someone yelled out, "KARA THRACE!"

"Kara?" He exited the tent and found Kara and Commander Adama staring at each other. "Kara, what's going on?"

Adama stalked forward until he was toe-to-toe with Kara, "Give me your hand, Kara."

Kara's eyes were filling as she shook her head timidly, "Lee please…"

He spoke more forcefully, "Give me your hand, please."

"Lee-"

He pressed a finger to her lips and whispered, "Don't you trust me?" When she nodded he smiled, "Then give me your hand."

Sam scowled at Lee in confusion and growing anger, "I don't know what your game is but-"

The look the smaller man gave him stopped him short; it was such a dark look that he actually staggered back a step. "Keep your mouth shut."

Lee turned back to Kara and gave her a smile. Sam scowled as Kara raised her right hand to Lee, she was trembling.

Lee took her hand and extended her forefinger, then held up a plain silver ring and placed it on her finger. As he did, he called out to the gathering crowd, "Behold, thou art consecrated unto me, through this ring, according to the Religion and Laws of the Lords of Kobol."

A gasp ran through the crowd, Lee was claiming her as his wife. Sam was watching Kara get married right in his face.

After a stunned moment, Kara whispered. "Lee…"

He took a step forward and whispered, "Kara, say the words."

She was openly crying now, "I-"

He pressed his forehead against her, "Kara, I know it's scary. You and I have always been frightening, that's the best part. Trust me Kara, say the words." She was about to protest again when he said, "The words Kara."

When the smile twitched the corners of her mouth up, Sam felt his heart break. She didn't have to speak the words, they were written all over her face. She closed her hand around his and spoke them anyway, "Ani l'dodi v'dodi Li." With more courage, she continued, "I am for my beloved, and my beloved is for me."

Lee pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. As he spun Kara around, Sam saw how happy she was. The bitter taste her joy left in his mouth caused him to stagger back into his tent and crawl into his cot.

&&&&&&&&&

Bill was stunned as his son declared Kara his wife, he didn't dare turn away but he glanced at Laura out of the corner of his eye and whispered, "Am I seeing this?"

Laura smiled at him, "You are. Who knew Lee was a traditionalist?"

"I… My father married this way, my mother used to tell the story to us." Lee pressed his forehead to Kara's and was clearly whispering encouragement to her.

Laura took his hand in hers and said, "You'll have to tell me that story." They slowly crossed the square until they were close enough to see the tears dripping off Kara's cheeks.

Finally Kara closed her hand and spoke in a wavering whisper, "Ani l'dodi v'dodi Li." A moment later she spoke with more courage, "I am for my beloved, and my beloved is for me."

It was complete, his son was married. Lee had married Kara, something Bill never would have imagined just twenty-four hours earlier when Kara was asking to be allowed to resign and settle on the surface with Samuel. Bill noticed only then that Anders was right in front of them, he felt pity for the man as he disappeared into his tent.

With a cry of joy, Lee pulled his new wife into his arms and spun her around. He put her down and held her face in both hands before he kissed her as he did, Laura spoke, "Ladies and gentleman, it gives me great joy to assume the duty of the Groom's mother and present to you for the first time Mr. and Mrs. Lee Adama. May the Lords bless their union!"

Several people around them called out, "So say we all." The happy couple was oblivious to all of it.

Bill slapped Lee on the back and he turned away from Kara. Lee grinned sheepishly and said, "Hey dad. Surprised?"

He shrugged, "A little, I guess you actually were listening to Grandma Evelyn then." He turned to Kara, "Welcome to the family, Kara. Congratulations." He held his arms open and Kara all but leapt into them. When he finally released her, he gripped Lee's shoulder and said, "I believe we have cause for another party."

Kara shook her head, "In a little while, Lee and I have to find a priest of Aphrodite to give us the vows." He nodded and Kara pulled Lee away to find a priest.

Bill turned to her Laura a smile, "Rather presumptuous of you to assume the role of Lee's mother."

She grinned and looped her arm through his, "It was rather presumptive for Lee to marry Kara in front of everyone like that so it seems presumption is the order of the day." She led him towards her tent, "Now, tell me about your father's marriage."

He chuckled, "Well, dad had been dating mother all through law school, the day he passed the bar he took her out to celebrate in Caprica City. You know the old Promenade by the waterfront?"

She smiled at the memory, "Very romantic."

He nodded, "My mother thought so too, they stopped by a bench and dad decided then and there to marry her…"

**End**


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